Incest

The theme of incest underlies the entire narrative of A Great Deliverance. In fact, it is the incestuous relationship between William Teys and his daughters, Gillian and Roberta, which eventually leads to Teys' murder. In terms of crime, incest often goes unpunished and its effects are devastating and long-lasting. The fact that Teys molested his daughters for years is what is most striking. Prior to the revelation of Teys' wrongdoing, signs of an incestuous relationship are revealed in the physical appearance of his younger daughter, Roberta. When Richard Gibson, Teys nephew, returns to Keldale after an absence of some years, he notices that his cousin Roberta has become quite obese. Initially, the girl's extreme weight gain is attributed to William Teys not paying her enough attention, when, in fact, just the opposite is true. Roberta's weight gain is symptomatic of her feelings of powerlessness brought on by molestation...